Paper sheet feed control device for printing machines duplicators andmachines for the treatment of sheets in general

ABSTRACT

A paper-sheet feed control device is disclosed including a feeler member for detecting oversize sheets of paper or simultaneous feeding of two or more sheets, and means to reject these sheets responsive to signals from the feeler member. The feeler member includes a roller integral with a movable member of a thickness gauge which establishes a standard thickness for sheets to be handled.

United States Patent 11 1 Capetti et al. 5 July 17, 1973 PAPER SHEET FEED CONTROL DEVICE [56] References Cited FOR PRINTING MACHINES, DUPLICATORS UNITED STATES PATENTS AND MACHNES FOR THE TREATMENT OF 3,593,989 7/1971 Crittenden 271 47 1 SHEETS IN GENERAL 2,890,884 6/1959 Mestre [75] Inventors: Fedmco Capem; Ghmaflo. 3,578,315 10/1968 Mllford 271 47 Terzuolo, both of Torino, Italy Primary ExaminerRichard E. Aegerter [73] Ass'gnee: ronvetfi & Attorney-Birch, Swindler, McKie & Beckett Tormo, Italy [22] Filed: June 4, 1971 [57] ABSTRACT [211 App]. No.: 149,933 A paper-sheet feed control device is disclosed including a feeler member for detecting oversize sheets of paper or simultaneous feeding of two or more sheets, [30] Forelgn Application Pnonty Data and means to reject these sheets responsive to signals June 5, 1970 Italy 68922 A/70 from the feeler member The feeler member includes a roller integral with a movable member of a thickness [52] U.S. Cl. 271/56 1 gauge which establishes a Standard thickness for sheets [51] Int. Cl B65h 3/46 to be handled -[58] Field of Search 271/47, 56, 57, 36 1 9 Claims, 4 Drai/ving Figures PATENTED 3.746.333 sum 1 0r 2 INVENTOR ATTORNE PAPER SHEET FEED CONTROL DEVICE FOR PRINTING MACHINES, DUPLICATORS AND MACHINES FOR THE TREATMENT OF SHEETS IN GENERAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a paper-sheet feed control whereby sheets are fed one at a time from a pile to a printing machine, duplicator or machine for the treatment of sheets in general.

In both printing machines and apparatus for treatment of documents, such as optical or magnetic character readers for reading characters printed on checks, it is essential to feed the sheets one at a time. Various expedients are used to separate the sheets drawn from a pile in order to avoid the simultaneous feeding of two or more sheets. This object is generally attained by causing the sheets to pass in the nip of two small rollers which are both rotated in the same direction. Due to the difference in the coefficients of friction between one sheet and another and between the sheet and the roller, one of the rollers will tend to bring any excess sheet back on the pile. However, these devices suffer from the drawback of damaging the excess sheets which should be brought back on the pile.

Moreover, in these devices, whether of mechanical or electrical type, the thickness of the sheets to be controllably fed by the device must be set by the adjustment of a feeler member. This adjustment requires great care and a rather long time, particularly for paper of very reduced thickness. The thickness of the sheets may be on the order of a few hundredthsof one millimeter. Moreover, the aforementioned adjustment must be made each timethe thickness of the sheets to be fed varies.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is to avoid the disadvantages enumerated above. The present invention provides a sheet-feed control device which does not require a long and complicated manual adjustment at the start of each printing operation, or when changing from one kind of paper to another.

This technical problem is solved by the paper-sheet feed control device designed in accordance with this invention which is both simple and reliable in operation. The paper-sheet control device of the invention is characterized in that a sheet feeler member is provided which can be automatically adjusted according to a standard sheet thickness to emit a signal when a sheet is fed whose thickness is substantially greater than the standard thickness. As used herein, a sheet of greater than standard thickness" may comprise two or moresheets fed simultaneously.

The adjustment of the device to a particular sheet thickness may be accomplished by using a sheet drawn from the same pile, which is inserted between a pair of members which form a simple thickness gauge.

According to another feature of the invention, the feeler member of the device comprises a small roller mounted on a pin which is integral with a movable member of the thickness gauge, the small roller being rotated by friction with a limited stroke against the bias of a spring. When the thickness of the sheet or sheets fed is greater than the standard thickness, a finger integral with the small roller closes a micro-switch, activating means to reject the erroneously fed sheet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a partial longitudinal section of a machine including a paper-sheet feed control device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of the device of FIG. I;

FIG. 3 is a partial section along the line Ill-Ill of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial view, taken along the line lV-IV of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the described exemplary embodiment, the sheet feeder is incorporated in a printing machine which must operate at high speed and with great precision. The machine includes a stationary frame comprising a base plate 5 (FIG. 1), to'which two side plates 6 are connected (FIG. 2), which are in turn connected to one another by means of transverse structures not shown in the drawings. On the machine frame, to the left as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, a printing station is provided, comprising the conventional impression cylinder and the inking rollers, not shown in the drawings.

The sheet feeder comprises a sheet feeding table 7 (FIG. 1) adapted to support a pile of sheets 8 to be fed and disposed at a slight angle to the horizontal. The table 7 is of bent steel plate and comprises two trapezoidal sides 9, each of which includes a rectangular portion 11. On each of these portions 11 there are mounted two small rollers 12, which are guided on a corresponding C-shaped guide 13 (FIG. 2 fastened to the plate 5 and to another plate 14 (FIG. I) on the stationary frame of the machine. On the two C-shaped guides there are fastened two folds 16 of a transverse plate 17 which serves as a stop for the pile of sheets 8.

On the portion II (FIG. 2) of each side 9 of table 7 there is further fastened a nut screw or female thread 18 which meshes with a corresponding screw 19'(FIG. l) disposed vertically and adapted to rotate between the two plates 5 and 14 of the stationary frame of the machine. To the upper end of each screw 19 there is fastened a worm wheel 21 which meshes with a corresponding worm wheel 22. The two worm wheels 22 (FIG. 2) are fastened to a common transverse shaft 23 which, upon feeding of the sheets 8, can be caused to rotate in a known manner, under the control of a feeler of the height of the pile of sheets 8 (FIG. 1 not shown in the drawings, thereby keeping the uppermost sheet 8 of the pile at a substantially constant height.

The sheet feeder further comprises a set of sheetdrawing devices or vacuum suckers 24 fastenedto a hollow shaft 25, which is caused to move cyclically to cause the vacuum suckers 24 to first approach the pile of sheets 8. After generating a vacuum in the suckers 24 through the hollow shaft 25, the latter is displaced so that the suckers 24 carry the sheets to the feedin device proper.

The device for feeding the sheets 8 comprises an alignment and delivery table generally indicated by the reference numeral 26. This table is adapted to bring the sheet to be printed against one or more references, to align the sheet both transversely and longitudinally.

"The alignment and delivery table 26 comprises a pair of small rollers 27 and 28 fastened, respectively, to two shafts 29 and 31 revolvingon the plates 6, and a set of belts 32 (FIG. 2) running on the rollers 27 and 28. The sheet 8 is further pressed against the belts 32 by means of rollers 33 and is guided by the stationary plates 34 (FIG. 1).

To the shaft 29 there is fastened a pulley 36 (FIG. 2) which is connected, through a toothed belt 37, with a second pulley 38. This pulley is secured to another shaft 39, which revolves on the plates 6 and carries an entrainment roller 41 of a material with a high coefficient of friction, for instance rubber.

The roller 41 cooperates with a set of small pressure rollers 42, also made of a material with a high coefficient of friction. Each roller 42 is adapted to rotate on a pin 43 carried by a bridge arm 44, which is adapted to rotate about a transverse shaft 46; this shaft is, in turn, rotatably mounted on the plates 6. A set of members or cranks 47 is associated with the arms 44. Each crank 47 is fastened to the shaft 46 in correspondence with the arm 44 associated therewith and is provided with a tab 48 which carries a pin 49 (FIG. 1). This pin constitutes a stop for a screw 51 adjustably secured to the cross member 52 of the corresponding bridge arm 44. The screw 51 is normally biased against the pin 49 by a spring 53 stretched between the tab 48 and the cross member 52.

To the shaft 46 there is further fastened a lever 54 carrying a small roller 56, which is urged by a spring 57 into cooperation with a cam 58 secured to a shaft 59. Means are thereby provided for causing shaft 46 to oscillate cyclically in a manner disclosed more fully below.-Shaft 59 is the main shaft of the machine and is rotated continuously during the printing operation, thereby determining the feeding cycle. The shaft 29 is in turn rotated in a known manner with a certain ratio relative to the shaft 59, thereby determining the delivery cycle.

i The feeding device further comprises a feeler member contacting the sheet being fed, which member can be automatically adjusted according to the standard thickness of the sheet. In particular, the feeler member comprises a small metallic roller 61 (FIG. 3) having the same diameter as the rollers 42 and adapted to cooperate with the roller 41. The small roller 61 is mounted on a pin 62 by means of a roller bearing 64. The pin 62 is carried by another arm 63 secured to the shaft 46 and 7 having the same length as the arms 44.

a second peg 69 directed radially and adapted to act upon a small lever 71 which actuates a microswitch 72. The lever 71 is provided with an appropriate spring which normally holds it in the position shown in FIG. 3, whereby the peg 66 abuts against the lower edge of the hole 67.

The microswitch 72, when actuated, energizes an electromagnet 73 (FIG. 1), whose keeper 74 has a pinand-hole connection with an arm 78 pivotally mounted on a pin 77. A bar 81 is secured to the arm 76 and to another arm 78 (FIG. 2) pivotally mounted on a pin 79 which is coaxial with the pin 77. Another bar 82, which is stationary, constitutes, together with the bar 81, a guide for the sheets to be fed to the alignment table 26. Further, the bar 81 is a deflecting means for the sheets 8 erroneously fed. To this end, two stationary plates 80 define a container for the rejected sheets.

Finally, means are provided for establishing the standard thickness of each sheet of a pile of sheets to be fed. To the shaft 46 there is fastened an arm 84 (FIG.

4) provided with a tab 86, on which a screw 87 is adjustably secured. The distance between the screw 87 and the shaft 46 is slightly less than the distance between the pin 62 and the same shaft. The screw 87 is adapted to cooperate with a member, formed by a plate 88, which engages, by means of a tab 89, in a cutout of a counterelement comprising a stationary plate 91. The plate 88 is biased towards the plate 91 by a U-shaped resilient member 92. The two plates 88 and 91 are disposed in a position easily accessible to the operator, and each includes one bent end, 93 and 94 respectively, to ease the opening of the plate 88 and the insertion of a sheet of known thickness in the space defined between the two plates.

The operation of the feeding device described above is as follows.

The screw 87 is adjusted so that, with the cam 58 in the position shown in FIG. 1, when the plate 88 (FIG. 4) abuts against the plate 91, the small roller 61 (FIG. 3) slightly skims over the roller 41. The screws 51 (FIG. 2) are adjusted to leave a small space between the screws 51 and the corresponding pins 49 for the same position of the cam 58.

In order to adjust the small roller 61 according to a sheet of standard thickness, it is sufficient for the operator to insert, between the plates 88 and 91, a piece of one of the sheets 8 disposed on the plate 7. Due to the greater length of the arm 63 relative to the arm 84, the small roller 61 is removed from the roller 41 by a distance which is slightly greater than the thickness of the sheet 8, but less than twice this thickness. The small roller 56 (FIG. 1) in turn remains slightly removed from the lowermost point of the cam 58.

Now, upon setting the feeding device to work, both the main shaft 59 and the shaft 29 of the table 26 are caused to rotate, whereby on the one hand the shaft 39 is rotated and, on the other hand, the roller 28 is caused to rotate through the roller 27 and the belts 32. Starting from the angular position of the cam 58 shown in FIG. 1, the cam 58 will first cause the lever 5 4to rotate in a counterclockwise direction together with the shaft 46, the arms 63 (FIG. 3) and 84 (FIG. 2) as well as the cranks 47. The pins 49 of the cranks 47 engage the screws 51, thus entraining the arms 44, whereby both the feeler roller 61 and the pressure rollers 42 are removed from the entrainment roller 41.

Then the vacuum suckers 24 (FIG. 1) are displaced to first rest upon the pile of sheets 8. After the start of suction by the suckers 24, the latter are displaced to.

bring the front edge of the sheet 8 between the roller 41 and the small rollers 42 and 61. Subsequently, the

cam 58 allows the lever 54 to rotate clockwise together with the shaft 46 (FIG. 2), the arms 63 and 84 and the cranks 47. In the case when only one sheet 8 has been drawn, the rotation of the shaft 46 stops when the screw 87 (FIG. .4) abuts against the plate 88. The small roller 61 (FIG. 3) is not able to reach the surface of the sheet 8, while the small roller 42 (FIG. 1) rests upon the sheet 8 by the action of the springs 53. The sheet 8 is then sent between the bars 77 and 82 and subsequently between the small rollers 33 and the belts 32. The sheet 8 is thus fed to the machine by the belts 32 themselves, while the cam 58 again removes the small rollers 42 and 61 from the roller 41 to receive the subsequent sheet 8. I

If, instead, the vacuum suckers 24 accidentally insert a sheet of considerably greater than standard thickness or two or more sheets 8 between the roller 41 and the small rollers 42 and 61, when the cam 58 allows the lever 54 to rotate clockwise, then the rotation is arrested by the small roller 61 (FIG. 3) abutting against the roller 41, while the small rollers 42 (FIG. 1) abut as before against the sheet on roller 41 by the action of the corresponding springs 53. The small rollers 42 now cause the interposed sheet or sheets 8 to advance, but the surface of the sheet, engaged by the small roller 61 (FIG. 3) frictionally entrains the latter in a clockwise direction. After a short angular movement of the small roller 61, the peg 69 acts upon the lever 71.

The lever 71 now actuates the microswitch 72, which energizes the electromagnet 73. The latter rotates the arm 76 counterclockwise, together with the bar 81 and the arm 78. The bar 81 is thus brought to the position shown hatched in FIG. 1 and prevents the incoming sheet or sheets from entering between the small roller 33 and the belts 32. The incoming sheets 8 are instead sent into the compartmentdefined by the plates 80 and are thus rejected.

Subsequently, when the cam 58 again displaces the small rollers 42 and 61 from the roller 41, the spring of the lever 71 brings the small roller 61 back to the position of FIG. 3, with the peg 66 resting against the lower edge of the hole 67. The electromagnet 73 (FIG. 1) is then de-energized, whereupon a spring 95 brings back the bar 81 to the position shown in FIG. 1.

It is; therefore apparent that the feelermember 61, which feels the sheet 8 fed by the device automatically responds to the thickness of the sheet to deliver, through the microswitch 72, a signal when two or more sheets 8 are fed simultaneously or when a sheet whose thickness is substantially greater than the standard thickness is fed. The adjustment of the automatic device is effected by inserting a sheet, taken from the pile, between a member 88 integral with the feeler member and a counterelement 91.

Obviously, many modification, improvements and variations can be introduced in the feeding device described without departing from the scope of the invention.

For instance, the control device described can be incorporated in a sheet feeder of a printing machine, wherein the sheet is drawn from the pile in close proximity to its rear edge, so that the sheets fed are partially superimposed along the path followed. In this case, when the small roller 42 abuts against the roller 41, then two or more sheets enter in the nip between the rollers. This being the case, an equal number of sheets are to be disposed between the plates 88 and 91 so that the device is properly adjusted for automatic operation.

What is claimed is: y

I. A paper-sheet feed control device for controllably feeding each standard thickness sheet of a plurality of sheets from a pile, including an element and a counterelement defining a measuring space wherein one of said standard thickness sheets is inserted, means for adjustably biasing said element against said counter-clement thereby effecting measurement of the thickness of said standard sheet, a sheet feeler member connected with said element to contact a fed sheet whose thickness is greater than said standard thickness and means coupled to said sheet feeler member and responsive to said contact between said feeler member and said greater than standard thickness sheet for emitting a signal indicating said contact.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said member comprises a feeler roller pinned to a mounting integral with said element, said roller being frictionally entrained on the sheet of greater than standard thickness.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said signal emitting means includes a microswitch, said device including a finger integral with said. roller and normally spaced from said microswitch so that said finger triggers said microswitch upon rotation of said roller due to frictional entrainment of said roller on said greater than standard thickness sheet.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, including a container for said greater than standard sheets and a defiection member driven through said microswitch to a position to deflect said greater than standard thickness sheet to said container.

5. A paper-sheet feed control device for controllably feeding each standard thickness sheet of a plurality of sheets from a pile, including an element and a counterelement defining a measuring space wherein one of said standard thickness sheets is inserted, biasing means for biasing said element against said counter-element thereby effecting measurement of the thickness of said standard sheet, a feeler secured to a first arm, a second arm carrying an end part contacting said element, said arms being bodily rotatable on a common shaft, the distance of said end part from said shaft being greater than the distance of said feeler from said shaft to such an extent as to allow free passage of one standard thickness sheet and to cause said arms to be rotated on said shaft by the passage of at least two superimposed sheets. i.

6. A paper-sheet feed control device for controllably feeding each standard thickness sheet of a plurality of sheets from a pile, including an element and a counterelement defining a measuring space wherein one of said standard thickness sheets is inserted, biasing means for biasing said element against said counter-element thereby effecting measurement of the thickness of said standard sheet, a feeler roller pinned to a first arm, a second arm integral with said first arm by being fastened to a shaft common to said first and second arms, a screw carried by said second anfi and cooperating with said element to adjust said measuring space, the

length of said first arm between said pin and said shaft being greater than the length of said second arm between said screw and said shaft. v

7. A device as claimed in claim 6, including a common feed driving roller, and a plurality of pressure rollers resiliently biased against said driving roller to feed said sheet, and wherein said feeler roller rotates on an axis substantially parallel to the axes of said pressure rollers and cooperates with said common roller to feel the sheet being fed. 6

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, including a plurality of bridge arms rotatably mounted on said common shaft, each of said arms carrying one of said pluraltiy of pressure rollers, the length of each of said bridge arms between said pressure roller and said shaft being substantially equal to the length of said first arm, and a pluralityof crank members fixed to said shaft and en gaging said bridge arms to remove said pressure rollers from said common feed roller in response to revolution of said shaft.

9. A device as claimed in claim 8, including means for cyclically feeding one of the sheets of said pile to the common feed roller of said device and means for causing said shaft to oscillate cyclically, said crank members being responsive to said cyclic oscillations to bring said pressure rollers and feeler member roller into cooperation with said common roller in a predetermined stage of the cycle.

I i i UNITED STATES PATENT O'FFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,746,333 Dated July 17, 1973 Inventor(s) Federico Capetti and Giancarlo Terzuolo It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as, shown below:

In claim 5, at col. 6, line 25 delete "greater" and insert 1ess.-.

Signed andsealed this 6th day of August 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY M. GIBSON,- JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents DRM PO-IOSD (10-69) USCOMM-DC 60376-P59 v.5v GOVERNMENT nmmuc OFFICE I90 o-ass-sal, 

1. A paper-sheet feed control device for controllably feeding each standard thickness sheet of a plurality of sheets from a pile, including an element and a counter-element defining a measuring space wherein one of said standard thickness sheets is inserted, means for adjustably biasing said element against said counter-element thereby effecting measurement of the thickness of said standard sheet, a sheet feeler member connected with said element to contact a fed sheet whose thickness is greater than said standard thickness and means coupled to said sheet feeler member and responsive to said contact between said feeler member and said greater than standard thickness sheet for emitting a signal indicating said contact.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said member comprises a feeler roller pinned to a mounting integral with said element, said roller being frictionally entrained on the sheet of greater than standard thickness.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said signal emitting means includes a microswitch, said device including a finger integral with said roller and normally spaced from said microswitch so that said finger triggers said microswitch upon rotation of said roller due to frictional entrainment of said roller on said greater than standard thickness sheet.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 3, including a container for said greater than standard sheets and a deflection member driven through said microswitch to a position to deflect said greater than standard thickness sheet to said container.
 5. A paper-sheet feed control device for controllably feeding each standard thickness sheet of a plurality of sheets from a pile, including an element and a counter-element defining a measuring space wherein one of said standard thickness sheets is inserted, biasing means for biasing said element against said counter-element thereby effecting measurement of the thickness of said standard sheet, a feeler secured to a first arm, a second arm carrying an end part contacting said element, said arms being bodily rotatable on a common shaft, the distance of said end part from said shaft being greater than the distance of said feeler from said shaft to such an extent as to allow free passage of one standard thickness sheet and to cause said arms to be rotated on said shaft by the passage of at least two superimposed sheets.
 6. A paper-sheet feed control device for controllably feeding each standard thickness sheet of a plurality of sheets from a pile, including an element and a counter-element defining a measuring space wherein one of said standard thickness sheets is inserted, biasing means for biasing said element against said counter-element thereby effecting measurement of the thickness of said standard sheet, a feeler Roller pinned to a first arm, a second arm integral with said first arm by being fastened to a shaft common to said first and second arms, a screw carried by said second arm and cooperating with said element to adjust said measuring space, the length of said first arm between said pin and said shaft being greater than the length of said second arm between said screw and said shaft.
 7. A device as claimed in claim 6, including a common feed driving roller, and a plurality of pressure rollers resiliently biased against said driving roller to feed said sheet, and wherein said feeler roller rotates on an axis substantially parallel to the axes of said pressure rollers and cooperates with said common roller to feel the sheet being fed.
 8. A device as claimed in claim 7, including a plurality of bridge arms rotatably mounted on said common shaft, each of said arms carrying one of said pluraltiy of pressure rollers, the length of each of said bridge arms between said pressure roller and said shaft being substantially equal to the length of said first arm, and a plurality of crank members fixed to said shaft and engaging said bridge arms to remove said pressure rollers from said common feed roller in response to revolution of said shaft.
 9. A device as claimed in claim 8, including means for cyclically feeding one of the sheets of said pile to the common feed roller of said device and means for causing said shaft to oscillate cyclically, said crank members being responsive to said cyclic oscillations to bring said pressure rollers and feeler member roller into cooperation with said common roller in a predetermined stage of the cycle. 